Hi,

I believe that if the etheric body was damaged or destroyed the physical body would die almost instantly. This is because the physical body is supported by the etheric body.

I have heard that during death the physical, etheric, astral and mental bodies die and decay. The archetypal and higher spiritual bodies visit spiritual realms for a while then if they still have attachments to the earth level they will re-incarnate and continue their evolution on the material plane. If they are beyond such atatchments they are free from the cycle of birth and death and atain to the spiritual realms.

However the true part of you has never been born and can never die. This true part is beyond all bodies no matter how subtle. I recommend the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi although I am not saying he agrees with all written in this post.